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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25867717">Bat Business</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cultmagic/pseuds/cultmagic'>cultmagic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Case Fic, Civilian Jason Todd, Dick Grayson is a Ray of Sunshine, Humor maybe, Implied Sexual Content, Jason Todd is Not Red Hood, Jason Todd is Not Robin, M/M, Minor Violence, Pre-Slash, Social Media, This Is STUPID, Twitter, jason is short, sorta - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:07:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,630</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25867717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cultmagic/pseuds/cultmagic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>or, How Jason Todd Accidentally: got the guy; broke his own hand; became an honorary vigilante; and cultivated a social media following.</p>
<p>For Bottom Jason Todd Week 2020, Day 3: Going undercover as a celebrity/model works too well &amp; Jason is small/runt!Jason AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Batfamily Members &amp; Jason Todd, Dick Grayson &amp; Jason Todd, Jason Todd &amp; Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd &amp; Damian Wayne, Jason Todd/Slade Wilson, Tim Drake &amp; Jason Todd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Bottom Jason Todd Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bat Business</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i have this theory that jay only got Big bc of the lazarus pit and my rationale is that his childhood malnutrition would leave him on the small side (realistically around 5'5" or 5'6") and would eventually lead to health problems in his later years if he hadnt died</p>
<p>jays masters thesis is on imperialism in victorian lit change my mind</p>
<p>lemme know if i need to tag anything else</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jason doesn’t get involved in Bat business. He told Bruce more than a decade ago he didn’t want the cape and Bruce, for all his faults, respects that. He can’t stop every bit of bleedthrough, owing mostly to the Bats’ affiliations with various vigilante teams and Damian’s connections to the League of Assassins, but none of those affiliations have come back to bite Jason apart from a few kitchen scares because no one actually tells Jason when they have superpowered guests over.</p>
<p>It’s Bruce’s dedication to keeping Jason out of Bat business that brings him to the Batcave tonight for a mission briefing. </p>
<p>One of Black Mask’s associates, Vernon Bowen, has recently struck up a deal with the Joker. About two months ago, he’d gotten his hands on three hundred cubic feet of a heavily modified gaseous form of Scarecrow's fear toxin. A few days later, he announced that he would be holding a gala for Gotham’s most elite, at which he’d be making an important announcement. It’s too much of a coincidence not to be related. </p>
<p>The Bats don’t have much more intel than that though, which means this mission is all-hands-on-deck. Bruce and his brothers fabricated their excuses as to why they couldn’t come to the gala weeks ago, and so it won’t be suspicious that none of the Waynes are going (and so they’ll have a man on the inside who can slip away without notice), Bruce is sending Jason, the least visible Wayne, in his stead. </p>
<p>As far as the public is concerned, Jason Todd-Wayne is uninteresting. His adoption was a big deal when it first occurred because of his previous status as a homeless orphan from Crime Alley—the most prevalent opinion being that it was a nice thought but wouldn’t it just be better to leave the street rat in an orphanage? Bruce tried to shield Jason from his peers’ disapproval and as a result, he has almost no public presence. </p>
<p>Which made him perfect for an undercover mission. He has just enough celebrity to gain entrance to the gala but not enough to draw undue attention to himself. </p>
<p>Bruce straightens Jason’s tie for the third time, then pets his lapels to force them flat. He’s nervous like he’s sending his kid off to prom, which Jason finds extremely funny. “Dad,” says Jason, reaching up to catch his hands. The way Bruce’s face twitches in a reflective smile at the address is also very funny, but Jason smothers his laugh. “It’s gonna be fine. I know the plan, I know all the exits, I know all the codewords, I know how to handle myself in a fight. Stop worrying so much.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Bruce says. “I have the utmost confidence in you.”</p>
<p>“That’s sweet,” says Jason and pats his arm, “now pull it together, old man.”</p>
<p>Dick laughs and pulls Jason away. He’s already in his Nightwing suit, which means he looks like a total dork. “C’mon, Little Wing,” he says, “it’s your first mission, cut him a little slack. We’re all worried.”</p>
<p>“Speak for yourself, Grayson,” Damian says. He’s also in his suit, sword strapped to his back. He finally got rid of the cape a year ago; he said it was proving a hindrance with his newly-acquired height. Jason thinks he looks better without it, less like a sidekick and more like the assassin he was trained to be. It’s only a matter of time now before he sheds Robin entirely and picks a new mask. </p>
<p>Jason points at him. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about. See, Damian trusts me to take care of myself.”</p>
<p>Damian scowls at him. “I never said that, Todd. I simply know that we will complete the mission objective before you have the opportunity to put yourself in harm’s way.”</p>
<p>Jason grins at Dick. “Aw, he does love me.” Damian clicks his tongue and turns away from them.</p>
<p>“Do you have your comm, Jay?” asks Tim. He’s fastening the last of the catches on his suit, shaggy hair hanging in his face. Jason wonders if he can get away with cutting it the next time Tim sleeps.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Timmy, I got it.” Jason straightens his cuffs, feeling inexplicably like James Bond. Is this what the Bats always feel like when they go on missions? If he’s not careful, Jason might start to like it. “We ready to go?”</p>
<p>“Yes. Remember, Nightwing, Robin, and I will be positioned all around the building, so—”</p>
<p>“B,” says Jason. “I know.” Bruce hesitates, then nods and pulls on his cowl. His jaw tightens and Jason’s dad disappears into Batman. Jason can’t help the thrill of excitement that goes through him. It’s showtime. <br/>…</p>
<p>Jason turns on his comm in the limo on the way there. He can hear the Bats getting into position, appraising each other of possible information and obstacles. Red Robin is on the roof with a laptop, monitoring the security feeds. So far, they see nothing suspicious. </p>
<p>For his part, Jason walks up the front steps of the grand building the gala is being held in with grace that Alfred had spent many hours training into him when he was a kid. There are paparazzi and news crews lining one side of the stairs and he can see more inside. It figures; most of the guys who do this kind of supervillain shtick are exhibitionists. </p>
<p>The man greeting people at the door is not Vernon Bowen. Jason doesn’t recognize him from any of the files Bruce has collected on Bowen’s gang but Jason can see the faint outline of a holster under his suit jacket.</p>
<p>He files in behind an older couple and is directed into a large, ornately decorated ballroom. There are three chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the trim along the white walls is gold. The windows on the outside-facing wall are just large enough for a person to fit through. There’s a stage against that wall that is currently being used by a string quartet. It’s the worst kind of gala, where the host wants nothing more to flaunt his wealth in whatever gaudy fashion he can, regardless of how ugly the end result is. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, throwing a badly-decorated party isn’t a crime, so Jason ignores the decor and slips his way through the crowd to the edge of the room. Most of Gotham’s biggest names are here, including the mayor and a New Jersey senator. He recognizes many of the faces in the crowd from Bruce’s own galas and is unsurprised when their eyes seem to pass right over him. </p>
<p>He takes a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. He doesn’t drink it, but a full glass will keep the staff’s attention off of him as long as no one is watching him specifically, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility considering all of them are armed.</p>
<p>Across the room, Jason makes eye contact with Deathstroke. </p>
<p>He’s met Slade Wilson exactly once before. The man had broken into the Manor, looking for some alien weaponry that Batman confiscated from an arms trafficker and turned into the Justice League a few days before. Jason was in the kitchen, heating up leftovers before bed after a long night of thesis research. Slade appeared in the doorway without a sound and startled a yelp out of Jason, who then demanded that all Bat business be handled off Manor grounds. Slade relented easily enough, asking about the alien weaponry and stealing a couple pieces of Jason’s tandoori chicken. He left shortly after, never once threatening Jason or his family. It was such a strange encounter that Jason half-believes it was a dream, but judging by the way Slade is now weaving through the crowd towards him, it definitely happened. </p>
<p>“Jason,” greets Slade. He leans against the wall beside Jason, not quite touching but close enough to feel.</p>
<p>“Slade,” Jason says. Nightwing’s voice stutters to a stop in his ear and Jason is reminded that once upon a time, Slade had been pretty invested in killing his big brother. “Weird that you’re here, no offense. Kinda outta character.”</p>
<p>“None taken,” says Slade. “I’m on a job.”</p>
<p>Figures he would be, actually. As far as Jason knows, Slade Wilson is a total nonentity to the public and has no interest in changing that, so to appear at a gala in a well-tailored suit rather than his usual protective gear is unexpected. “I didn’t know you did undercover work.”</p>
<p>“I don’t,” Slade says and follows it up with nothing.</p>
<p>“Right,” says Jason. “We’re probably after the same guy, then.”</p>
<p>Slade hums and looks around casually. Across from them, reporters cluster around the mayor and their target, who seems to be giving a statement. “Are you doing regular work, now?”</p>
<p>“I get the feeling you would know if I was,” Jason says. “This is an exception.” Then, because he knows it’ll irritate his dad and because he, against all odds, kind of likes Slade, says, “B’s doin’ a bust on the guy soon. You can do your thing in the chaos.”</p>
<p>“Sparrow,” Batman growls into the comm. Jason smiles at a passing photographer who takes that as permission to stop and snap a couple of photos of him and Slade. </p>
<p>“Will that be a problem?” Jason asks, gesturing to the photographer’s back.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t be here if it was,” says Slade. </p>
<p>They talk for a while longer, this time about nothing important so Jason doesn’t give Bruce a stroke. Eventually, they get onto the topic of his thesis, which he can talk about for hours and very nearly does. Slade manages to look deeply amused without ever changing his expression, but he never tells Jason to stop so Jason doesn’t and it’s—easy. Too easy, maybe, to talk to a mercenary who has tried, more than once, to kill his family, but Slade is attentive and almost nice and—Jason is maybe a little starved for a conversation that isn’t with his family. </p>
<p>He’s only interrupted by Bowen tapping on the mic. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” he says. His smile is just this side of sleazy. “Thank you all for coming tonight. I have something special I want to announce—rather, something I want to show you.” He detaches the mic from the stand and starts pacing the stage. “Before I came to Gotham, I wasn’t the man you see here today. I grew up wealthy, yes, but it was all ripped away from me when I was twelve by people like you.”</p>
<p>The crowd starts shifting restlessly. Most of them have lived in Gotham long enough to know where unhinged rants tend to go. Jason starts moving closer to the stage, his height making it easy to slip through the crush of people. He knows Slade is following, but his bulk makes it difficult despite how practiced he is. </p>
<p>“B,” Jason murmurs once he gets a clear view of Bowen, who is still monologuing, “he’s got a remote.”</p>
<p>“It’s the release button for the gas,” Batman says. “Nightwing, Robin, do you have a location on it?”</p>
<p>They both reply in the negative. </p>
<p>Jason looks around. “I can’t see anything here. Red Robin, anything?”</p>
<p>“There’s a high concentration of electricity in the main ballroom. That’s probably where the release mechanism is, but I can’t get a more specific location.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know where it could be,” says Jason. A woman in the back screams and Jason turns to see the wait staff pulling on gas masks. “It’s happening soon. If you’re gonna do somethin’, do it now.” Slade finally reaches him, putting a hand on his shoulder and discreetly pointing up. Jason looks at where a circular portion of the ceiling is descending, metal glinting in the chandeliers’ lights. “Oh shit, found it.”</p>
<p>“Inside,” Batman says, then glass is shattering as four Bats propel themselves through the windows. Bowen has a gun out now and people are screaming, crushing themselves against the locked doors in the front of the room. Reporters and photographers both are documenting the chaos.</p>
<p>“Hey Slade,” Jason says, “think now’s as good a time as any.”</p>
<p>Slade begins reaching for the gun under his jacket but as Jason’s saying it, Batman is throwing a Batarang at Bowen. He drops the remote and cradles his now broken wrist to his chest, then jumps off stage and runs. Nightwing lunges at him but is intercepted by one of the waiters tackling him to the ground. Jason feels a flash of worry—for all of his brothers, and his dad, and Slade, because they’re all engaging the waiters, who are shooting and punching and Jason’s never seen combat before—and then he feels a hand on his shoulder, heavy and tight and unfamiliar.</p>
<p>A number of things happen at once. Batman growls and leaps forward, cape billowing behind him and remote tucked away in his suit somewhere. Nightwing twists out of his waiter’s grip with a shouted “Sparrow!” Slade disposes of his waiter and spins towards Jason, face frighteningly blank.</p>
<p>And Jason? Jason does what every Crime Alley street rat does when a stranger grabs him: he punches Vernon Bowen in the face.<br/>…</p>
<p>The next morning, Dick shows him the pictures while laughing so hard he’s no longer making noise. Thanks to the press in the room, there are many, many angles of Jason punching Bowen so hard he breaks three fingers and Bowen’s cheekbone. The longest video captures the entire thing, from Bowen trying to take Jason hostage to Batman zip-tying an unconscious Bowen’s hands behind his back to Slade laughing and holding his broken hand while Jason’s face pinches in pain. </p>
<p>(It doesn’t capture how, later, Dick has a fit about Deathstroke touching his little brother. Jason enjoys it a little too much, so he tells them all about the encounter in the kitchen. Bruce’s face turns puce and Dick is waving his hands in the air to accompany his yelling. Damian spends the entire affair looking deeply annoyed and Tim stares, unmoving, at his laptop. Jason assumes he’s trying to disappear into it. Alfred, saint that he is, just carries on wrapping Jason’s hand.)</p>
<p>The pictures and videos are all over social media. On Twitter, Jason finds no less than three brand new Jason Todd fan accounts, and his name is on the trending tab. #HonoraryBatboy is also trending, at which point Dick starts crying on the floor. </p>
<p>“You’re being overdramatic again,” Jason tells him.</p>
<p>Dick tries to speak, but all that comes out is a wheeze. He slaps his hand on the floor instead. </p>
<p>Jason’s Twitter account, which he’s never used before but somehow has, gains a follower count the same approximate number as Gotham’s population. He scrolls for a while under his trending tab and finds his favorite post. It’s a set of four photos in sequence: Bowen grabbing Jason; Jason, all 5’4” and 130 pounds of him, mid-punch, face twisted in indignant anger; Bowen, all 6’ and 190 pounds of him, mid-fall; and Jason’s subsequent shout of pain as he clutches his hand, Red Robin’s look of utter disbelief in the background and Slade’s hand reaching for him from out-of-frame. It’s captioned “poetic cinema.”</p>
<p>Jason chuckles and quote-tweets it with the caption: and i would do it again. </p>
<p>(He calls Slade later (because they actually exchanged numbers like a couple of high schoolers, which shouldn’t excite Jason as much as it does) and complains that his family is being overbearing about the incident and Bruce is sulking because Jason got hurt during Bat business despite Bruce’s best efforts. Slade invites him to the safe house he’s staying at in the city as a refuge. Jason comes home two days later with a limp and Dick cries again, but this time it’s with pride.)</p>
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